Hide and Seek: The Mad Girl Sees All novel Chapter 69

Chapter 68

The lights in Midnight Mall flickered again, twice in a row.

Some screamed, others broke down in tears.

8

Lydia came rushing back, her arms full of four or five glass bottles. She was running so fast that one almost slipped out but she quickly caught it with her chin.

“I grabbed all the citrus-scented perfumes,” she said.

She spread the bottles out in front of Lyra-five bottles of different sizes, each one decorated with orange and citrus patterns.

“And this,” Lydia added.

She pulled two empty spray bottles from her pocket, twisted off the caps, and gave them a shake. “They’re clean. We can use them.

Lyra grabbed the spray bottles, picked up an orange, and crushed it in her hand. Juice trickled between her fingers straight into the bottle.

Let’s go. Up to the second floor,” Lyra said.

The five of them raced up the escalator, their footsteps thundering through the deserted mall.

The roller shutter of the outdoor sports store was still open, the place was brightly lit, and the shelves were still packed with

gear.

As soon as Lyra walked in, she immediately started handing out gear.

“Lydia, Lyra called.

“Right here. Lydia answered.

“Spray perfume at the entrance. Start from the glass door and make sure to cover a ten-foot area outside. Then scatter a layer of orange peels on top,” Lyra instructed.

“Got it!” Lydia replied.

Lydia had already twisted open the largest bottle of perfume and was spraying it generously along the doorframe.

“Sergei, Lyra called.

“Yeah?” Sergei replied.

“Check the store for any vents, ceiling access panels, or any holes that something could crawl through. Find every single one. Lyra instructed.

Sergei scanned the ceiling, gripping his hiking pole as he walked further inside.

“Lina, see if you can find any lights we can use,” Lyra called out.

“On it!” Lina replied, dashing off.

Lyra looked down at Lily. “Lily.”

Lily snapped to attention.

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Chapter 68

*Check every shelf in the store for any props we might’ve missed. If the System flags anything, grab it-doesn’t matter what it is, Lyra said.

“On it! Lily replied.

The four of them split up, but Lyra didn’t move. She turned and walked over to the railing by the door, looking/out

The corridor was empty now. On both sides of all three floors, a few shop shutters were pulled down here and there-barely any at all. With just fifty players scattered throughout the whole mall, it made the place feel practically empty.

Lyra mentally replayed the mall’s layout.

There were only three floors.

Lyra’s brow furrowed slightly. She distinctly remembered going to malls as a kid-most of them had at least one basement/ level, sometimes even two.

Parking lots, supermarkets, warehouses-they were all underground.

The map showed nothing: no B1, no B2, and not a single basement button on the escalators or elevators.

Was the game only designed with three floors? Or was there something hidden?’ Lyra wondered.

But she didn’t have time to dwell on it.

She headed back into the store, where Sergei was poking at three ceiling panels with his hiking pole, dust falling all over his face.

“There’s a vent,” he said, pointing to the corner. “About sixteen inches in diameter. An adult probably can’t fit through.”

“Can a cat get in?” Lyra asked.

Sergei paused for a second. “Yeah.”

Lyra walked over and looked up at the vent-a dark, square opening, with the duct inside curving off into the unknown.

“Shove the backpack in to block it up, then wrap some orange peels around the outside,” Lyra instructed.

Sergei nodded and started stuffing the backpack in, wrapping the peels as Lyra said.

Lina came running back from the next store, holding two LED camping lights and a roll of reflective stickers.

“These lights are bright enough,” she said, flipping one on.

“I grabbed the reflective stickers from the eyewear shop. If we stick them on the door, the cats will get thrown off by the reflected light when they try to peek inside, Lina explained.

“Good,” Lyra said, taking the stickers. She tore off a strip and stuck it to the wall outside the store.

“Goddess Lyra! Goddess Lyra!” Lily called out.

Lily popped out from the back of the store, holding something small and silver in her hand.

It was a metal whistle, its chain swinging from her finger. “I found this!” she said.

Lily handed the whistle to Lyra. “The System just sent me a tip! It says cats hate shrill sounds-this whistle can repel them!”

Lyra took the whistle, turned it over in her hand, weighing it in her palm without blowing it.

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“Did it say how many times we can use it?” Lyra asked.

Lily shook her head. “Nope.”

“Alright, Lyra said.

She hung the whistle around Lily’s neck. “Save it for when we really need it. Keep it with you for now.”

“Got it!” Lily replied.

Lydia walked back from the entrance, her hands soaked in perfume and orange peel juice. “Entrance is all set-I sprayed perfume over the whole ten-foot area and tossed some orange peels around.”

“Vent’s blocked,” Sergei said, dusting off his hands.

Lina set up the camping lights near the entrance, making sure the beams were aimed right at the door.

Lyra glanced around-everyone was in position. “We’ve done everything we can. Once the game kicks off, we’ll just have to roll with whatever comes our way. Stay sharp and play it by ear.”

“Got it!”

“Alright!”

“Understood!”

Lyra glanced at the roller shutter switch, walked over, and rested her hand on the lever. “After we pull down the shutter, make sure to close the glass door as well.”

“Turn on just one light for now. Let’s save the other in case the game shuts off the power,” she added.

“Everyone, keep your voices low, control your breathing, and stay cool,” Lyra reminded them.

Lyra glanced at Lily.

Lily patted her stuffed pocket and shot Lyra a nod.

The mall’s lights flickered again, but this time it wasn’t just a single flash-they kept stuttering on and off in rapid succession.

The whole place shifted between light and darkness, tension so thick it felt almost suffocating.

[Hiding countdown: 10.]

The System’s voice echoed through the mall’s speakers, carrying a ghostly metallic ring.

[9,8.]

Lyra yanked down the roller shutter, the metal slats crashing to the floor with a loud clatter, cutting off any view from outside.

Lina moved forward and closed the glass door. The lock clicked softly.

[7.6.]

The five of them stood inside the store, the lights flickering, their expressions flickering in and out of the light.

Lily stood next to Lyra, clutching the whistle at her chest, her back pressed against the checkout counter, her lips pressed into a tight line.

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